Chargers vs. Broncos: San Diego Will Lean Heavily on Danny Woodhead

By Andrew Fisher

Pat Lovell-USA TODAY Sports

The San Diego Chargers are going to need all hands on deck this Sunday against the Denver Broncos. Taking down the team with the best offense in NFL history is not going to be an easy task. So given that reality, the latest news on running back Ryan Mathews is not going to please Chargers fans. Mathews’ status for Sunday’s divisional round playoff game is now in question because of an ankle injury.

Fans may have taken notice that Mathews didn’t finish last weekend’s game against Cincinnati Bengals. However, they may have also noticed that Danny Woodhead did one heck of a job in his absence.

Woodhead racked up 66 yards from scrimmage and found the end zone on one occasion. He didn’t put the team on his back by any means, but he delivered when called upon. The same could also be said for Ronnie Brown, who finished up the game for San Diego on his way to 77 yards rushing.

The combo of Woodhead and Brown will once again have to be good, and then some, for the Chargers this Sunday. Mathews is certainly not an irreplaceable player, but he’s obviously the most talented back San Diego has. If the Chargers expect to knock off the Broncos for the second time this season, they’ll need Woodhead and Brown to step up their games on the big stage. I think they’ll be up to the task, but that Peyton Manning and the Broncos’ high-powered offense will ultimately prove to be too much for the Chargers.